Talk about a road well-traveled for a Philadelphia Eagles rookie.
From Kenya to the rugby pitch in England, and now to the NFL gridiron, Eagles rookie Joshua Weru is a man of many talents on a mission. And in a pressurized environment where every day, every drill, and now every snap in game action is a new experience, Weru has stacked up wins.
“I actually celebrate my wins,” Weru said, per Dave Zangaro. “Because I know I can sometimes be hard on myself. But when I actually make a win, it’s good to kind of take a step back and be like, ‘You won a rep in an NFL practice.’ It’s not nothing.
“As much as I might be feeling the overall plays might be going against me, I’m just taking my wins and learning from my losses. I’m not really putting too much stress on myself when it comes to that.”
Sparkling debut for Eagles rookie Joshua Weru
Shortly after becoming the first Kenyan athlete to sign an NFL contract, Weru got right to work with his new teammates, soaking up their practice habits and pass-rush moves, including those of fellow edge rusher Jalyx Hunt. The hard work has begun to pay off, as Weru relished his first taste of game action against the Baltimore Ravens.
In his first-ever game action, Weru wasted no time making his presence felt. The International Pathway Program rookie registered a pair of pressures on his very first series, showcasing the sheer athleticism that prompted general manager Howie Roseman to bring him to Philadelphia.
Weru with two pressures on his first drive. Bernard received more attention, but don't sleep on Weru. He's 6-4, 244 with a 4.45-second 40-yard dash, 41 1/2-inch vertical and 11-2 broad jump. He was an international rugby player before giving football a try. https://t.co/6hwIyfkMXr
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 16, 2026
And since day one, his new teammates have taken note of Weru. Hunt has become one of his biggest fans, grinding daily and learning in the film room alongside him, while serving as someone whom Weru definitely looks up to:
“That’s my guy," Hunt said. "Josh (Weru) is so cool. He’s really accepted his role as the guy who doesn’t know how to play football yet. He’s learning each day. It’s his first time playing. It’s been real cool to be able to explain things that I might have learned when I started out earlier because he’s never been in situations to know what it is or what it’s not supposed to look like or what you’re not supposed to do. Like unspoken football rules and things like that. To be able to explain that has been real cool."
“And he’s so humble, and he’s confident in his abilities regardless of him not knowing the right moves to make all the time. You can tell his effort, and his detail and his want-to is always there. I didn’t know much about the position until I started playing it more. To be able to look at somebody who knew literally nothing about the whole sport, I really admire how he’s approaching it.”
As Hunt noted, he was a late bloomer himself, but he played some high school and plenty of college football. For Weru and fellow IPP phenom Uar Bernard, both brand new to the sport, it's a sight to behold for their far more experienced teammates.
Weru hasn't garnered quite the headlines that Bernard has, but he's also a freak athlete with boundless drive and a steel resolve to make this mission work. The immediate impact he made upon entering his first-ever preseason action speaks volumes to his tantalizing upside.
Read more: Most important Eagles position battle isn't being talked about at camp
And yes, Weru is well-traveled, but he's headstrong on making Philadelphia his long-term home.
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